A Wounded Name by Dot Hutchinson

I'm honestly shocked that the ratings for A WOUNDED NAME are so low because for the right audience, I think this would be an instant favorite. I suspected I would like it from the beginning because I'm a sucker for literary retellings, and the absolutely stunning cover was promising gothic vibes that it 100% delivered on.

A WOUNDED NAME reminded me a lot of Baz Luhrmann's Romeo + Juliet in the sense that it modernized the characters and setting, but kept its old-fashioned dialogue. Instead of being set in Denmark, in a cold and drafty castle, A WOUNDED NAME is set at a posh boarding school where the Danemark family serve as headmaster. After Hamlet Danemark passes, his brother, Claudius takes over and marries his late-wife, Gertrude.

Ophelia is the daughter of the Dean of Curriculum, who serves as the headmaster's righthand man. She lives in the school year-round, even during summer, which is how she's grown so close with her brother Laertes's friends, Horatio... and Dane, Hamlet's son. 

I saw a lot of reviews claiming that this book romanticized an abusive relationship but I don't think that's true. It's pretty clear in the subtext that both Ophelia and Dane are behaving destructively. Ophelia is mentally ill and has been institutionalized because she claims she can see the bean sidhe like her mother (and, like the ghosts, it's never fully certain whether what she sees are imaginary or not). She hates taking pills and Dane later encourages her not to, as he pretends to be mentally ill himself to confound and trick his and Ophelia's father figures (which begs the question: if he's that good at pretending, is it an act?).

The writing in this was so good and the toxic relationship between Dane and Ophelia was as compelling as it was repulsive. Portraying him as a manic theater kid with privileged rich boy energy was perfect, and Ophelia's naivete, desperation, and insanity were perfectly done. A WOUNDED NAME is not a happy story, but then, neither was the original, and I think if you enjoy a well-written dark academia with heavy gothic themes and a pastiche style retelling that goes for big and bold, like Baz, you'll love this.

I regret putting off reading this for so long. It was incredible and does not have nearly as many ratings as it deserves.

4.5 out of 5 stars